[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 245 (Friday, December 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 77594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30216]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0084]
Notice of Decision to Issue Permits for the Importation of Fresh
White Asparagus From Senegal Into the Continental United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing
permits for the importation into the continental United States of fresh
white asparagus from Senegal. Based on the findings of a pest risk
analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment
through a previous notice, we believe that the application of one or
more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate
the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds
via the importation of fresh white asparagus from Senegal.
DATES: Effective Date: December 19, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Shirley Wager Pag[eacute], Branch
Chief, Commodity Import Analysis and Operations Staff, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8758.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits
and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56 through 319.56-47, referred to below as
the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts
the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from
certain parts of the world to prevent plant pests from being introduced
into and spread within the United States.
Section 319.56-4 of the regulations contains a performance-based
process for approving the importation of commodities that, based on the
findings of a pest risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one
or more of the designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph
(b) of that section. Under that process, APHIS publishes a notice in
the Federal Register announcing the availability of the pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of a
particular fruit or vegetable. Following the close of the 60-day
comment period, APHIS may begin issuing permits for importation of the
fruit or vegetable subject to the identified designated measures if:
(1) No comments were received on the pest risk analysis; (2) the
comments on the pest risk analysis revealed that no changes to the pest
risk analysis were necessary; or (3) changes to the pest risk analysis
were made in response to public comments, but the changes did not
affect the overall conclusions of the analysis and the Administrator's
determination of risk.
In accordance with that process, we published a notice \1\ in the
Federal Register on August 18, 2008 (73 FR 48189-48190, Docket No.
APHIS-2008-0084), in which we announced the availability, for review
and comment, of a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks
associated with the importation into the continental United States of
fresh white asparagus from Senegal. We solicited comments on the notice
for 60 days ending on October 17, 2008. We received one comment by that
date, from a State department of agriculture. The commenter agreed that
the mitigation measures described in the pest risk analysis would be
adequate.
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\1\ To view the notice and the pest risk analysis, go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0084.
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Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec. 319.56-
4(c)(2)(ii), we are announcing our decision to begin issuing permits
for the importation into the continental United States of fresh white
asparagus from Senegal subject to the following phytosanitary measures:
Each shipment of white asparagus must be accompanied by a
phytosanitary certificate bearing the following additional declaration:
``The white asparagus in this consignment has been inspected and found
free of Cochliobolus pallescens (Curvulaia pallescens).'' The
phytosanitary certificate with the additional declaration must be
issued by the national plant protection organization of Senegal.
Each shipment is subject to inspection upon arrival in the
United States.
The white asparagus must be a commercial consignment as
defined in 7 CFR 319.56-2.
These conditions will be listed in the Fruits and Vegetables Import
Requirements database (available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/favir).
In addition to those specific measures, the fresh white asparagus will
be subject to the general requirements listed in Sec. 319.56-3 that
are applicable to the importation of all fruits and vegetables.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 136
and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of December 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-30216 Filed 12-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P